Gymnasio archidiocesano Anchieta (1925-1955) em Silvânia-Goiás: política, religião e educação

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation, submitted as a requirement for the PhD degree in Education at the Graduate Program in Education of the Federal University of Uberlândia – MG, specifically within the Research Line in History and Historiography of Education, seeks to contribute to the history and historiography of education in Goiás, exploring the period from 1925 to 1955, when the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta was founded and operated in Bonfim-GO (present-day Silvânia-GO). The central problem of the study concerns the convergence of interests between the Archdiocese of Goiás, led by Dom Emanuel Gomes de Oliveira during this period, and the Catholic educational expansion project, which included both propaedeutic and agricultural technical training. The categories of analysis employed were highly objective, with no codification in the organization of data. However, the bibliographic references were systematized and interpreted according to the gradual expansion of thematic axes, which were converted into titles and subtitles. The main objective is to analyze the educational, pedagogical, and organizational characteristics of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta and its relation to the social, political, and religious context of the time, in order to understand the strategic role of the institution in the educational and technical formation of youth, linking Catholic expansion to regional demands. The methodology adopted is bibliographic, documentary, and qualitative, since this is a historiographical work built upon historical facts through sources that testify to the past of a Catholic school institution. These sources include voluntary or documentary, involuntary, and bibliographic materials, all of which constitute the body of information used to reconstruct the school’s historical trajectory. Approximately 195 bibliographic references composed the research corpus, among which the following stand out: Azzi (1997/1999/2002, 2003, 2019), Barros (2006/2017), Costa (2020), Gomes (2029), Gonçalves (2020/2021), Manacorda (2004), Mendonça (2009/2012), Nosella & Buffa (2006/2013), Revista Informação Goiana, Instituto de Pesquisas e Estudos Históricos do Brasil Central, Jornal Brasil Central, and Zotti (2004/2007). The research was organized in three stages—collection and cataloguing of sources, documentary analysis, and construction of the historical narrative—and is structured into four chapters. The first chapter examines the educational, political, and religious arrangements in Goiás between 1925 and 1955, which laid the foundation for the establishment of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta. The second chapter provides a brief description of the transition from the settlement of Bonfim to the city of Silvânia-GO, and discusses how Silvânia hosted the institution during a period of profound transformations in the state and the country, due to the Revolution of 1930, the restoration of the Catholic Church, and the educational reforms implemented in the first half of the 20th century. The third chapter addresses the organizational structure of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta as a denominational school, engaging with theorists who explore the nuances of this type of institution. Particular emphasis is given to secondary education, which in Brazil as a whole was formally structured through Decree-Law No. 4,244 of April 9, 1942, configuring it as a basic education track for the elite. At that time, secondary education was offered in two types of establishments: ginásios (first cycle) and colégios (second cycle). The fourth chapter presents the main details regarding the foundation and functioning of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta within the defined time frame, emphasizing documentary research and acknowledging the difficulties encountered in accessing the school’s archives. The findings highlight the central role of Dom Emanuel Gomes de Oliveira as a strategic leader in the foundation and management of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta, considering that the school’s administration adapted elements of the Salesian model to the regional context, fostering integration between propaedeutic and utilitarian training. The sources indicate that the institution played a significant role in articulating education, culture, and religion, contributing both to the Catholic expansion project and to the economy of Goiás, insofar as it responded to local, regional, and state demands. Regarding the pedagogical work of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta between 1925 and 1955, the study concludes that its conceptions and practices sought to serve as a contributing instrument for the enhancement of knowledge. The bibliographic and documentary research demonstrates the importance of the Gymnasio Archidiocesano Anchieta for the development of education in Silvânia-GO and throughout the state, underscoring the fact that the city, through the establishment and operation of this school, educated many individuals who later made substantial contributions to the advancement of Goiás.